War and Conflict Class
Story by Amelia Matheson, photograph by Stijin Swinnen
This year, my English classroom is a battlefield; my teacher is a general and philosopher, my classmates and I the soldiers and scholars. As we pour over various texts and conduct debates in my War and Conflict class, we are taught the art of war. Through all of this, I have learned that some art is anything but beautiful.
With only two months to go in my last year of high school, I am a little disappointed that the thought-provoking experiences I have had in this class will come to an end. My classmates and I have learned how to wage war, how war affects the individual soldier, and how war affects bystanders. The first book that we read was Sun Tzu’s Art of War. It is perhaps the oldest text written about war, dating all the way back to the Warring States period (435-221 B.C.) in ancient China. Sun Tzu informs military generals of how to wage war effectively, providing instruction on offensive strategy, terrain, and so much more. This text gave us a solid foundational understanding for the basics of war. It set us up for recognizing what the implementation of these strategies means for soldiers.
Next, we read johnny got his gun by Dalton Trumbo. This novel was truly horrifying. I always had a repulsion for war; I thought it unnecessary, destructive, and costly in more ways than one. Trumbo’s book only reinforced my opinion. Joe Bonham, Trumbo’s main character, suffered a great deal after fighting in the first World War. He lost all four limbs, half of his face, and almost all connection to the outside world. I was horrified by Joe’s memories of war. I was troubled by his ever-slipping grip on reality. I was sorrowful for all that he lost as he existed only in a hospital bed for about four years. Although this is a work of fiction originally published in 1939, I was reminded of the all-too real, devastating effects of war even in the present day. Many do not experience the extremes that Joe did, but their pain is no less terrible. What is worse is that they often feel utterly alone in their suffering.
Second semester’s focus is on bystanders and the destruction war leaves in its wake. Where johnny got his gun highlighted individual struggle, Hiroshima amplified the anguish of hundreds of thousands of people affected by the atomic bombing of Japan. Readers are introduced to six survivors and their respective experiences immediately after the catastrophic bombing and in the difficult years that followed. I remember feeling so angry that these innocent people’s lives were cut so short in such a horrendous way. I was angry that even the lives of those who did survive were never the same after that day. Sure, it may have been an impossible situation for Truman’s government, but I cannot forgive the deaths of so many people in such a horrific event.
Perhaps my favorite text was the one that I picked out myself: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Japan annexed Korea in 1910, causing millions or Korean families to lose what little wealth they had. Many of them were forced to leave their beloved—albeit now poor—nation for a more prosperous, imperial Japan. In Japan, Lee’s Sunja, Isak, and their two sons faced appalling racism for most of their lives. My teacher taught us that racism is a by-product of war, an excuse to justify destroying the enemy. I will not reveal more of this novel because I believe it is one that all should read. I will say that this is a text that (like the others I have mentioned) points out the many effects war has on the innocent across generations. With each war that we start, we can expect lasting consequences that plague the lives of thousands, perhaps millions, going forward.
For too long, we have used war as a means to fix all of our problems; it seems to be the first and only choice to right the wrongs of the world. My War and Conflict class has made me more aware of the effects of war and how we need to educate ourselves on them. By continually reading, discussing, questioning, and even writing about war, we as a society can remember the devastation that war causes and finally settle our differences through other, less destructive means.
